Everything You Need to Know About Elementary School Tutoring

Elementary school tutoring plays a crucial role in a child’s educational journey, providing them with academic support and guidance during their formative years. Whether a student is struggling with a particular subject or seeking extra enrichment, tutoring offers personalized help tailored to their needs. 

This comprehensive guide provides all the essential information you need to know about elementary school tutoring. 

This guide. explores the benefits of tutoring, the subjects covered, different tutoring approaches, how to find a tutor, and tips for maximizing the tutoring experience. Enjoy this guide on elementary school tutoring and its potential to enhance your child’s learning and academic success.

  1. Does tutoring help elementary students? 
  2. Common subjects for elementary school tutoring
  3. How to find an elementary school tutor?
  4. Qualities to look for in an elementary school tutor
  5. Signs your child needs tutoring
  6. What is cognitive learning?
  7. How does cognitive learning help elementary school students?

How Does Tutoring Benefit My Child in Elementary School?

Tutoring programs help students develop study and learning skills that will help set them up for success for their entire life. Tutoring services have many advantages:

  • Personalized Attention: Tutoring offers one-on-one learning tailored to a child’s unique style, pace, and interests. This individualized attention helps foster deeper understanding and active engagement.
  • Targeted Remediation: Tutors identify specific subjects or areas where a student may be struggling and provide focused support to fill knowledge gaps, improving overall performance.
  • Building Confidence: Elementary students who receive tutoring can experience increased confidence in their abilities. Tutors provide positive reinforcement, instilling a sense of accomplishment and motivating students to face challenges with self-assurance.
  • Enhanced Study Skills: Tutoring focuses on subject-specific content and teaches valuable study skills. Students learn organization, time management, and note-taking techniques, setting a solid foundation for future success.
  • Enrichment Opportunities: Tutoring can go beyond remediation, offering enrichment for academically advanced students. Tutors introduce challenging concepts, provide advanced materials, and foster critical thinking skills, nurturing a love for learning.
  • Individual Progress Monitoring: Tutors closely monitor students’ progress, providing regular feedback and assessments. This allows for ongoing adjustments to the tutoring approach, ensuring optimal results.

Common Subjects Covered With Elementary Tutoring 

  1. English 
  2. Math 
  3. Science 

English Tutoring for Elementary Students 

English tutoring for elementary school students provides personalized attention and engaging activities, helping to improve reading, writing, and language skills. Tutors boost confidence, bridge learning gaps, and ensure students stay on track for academic success.

First-Grade English Tutoring Topics

ReadingWritingLanguageSpeaking & Listening
Identify the components of a sentence.
Write short stories about events and experiences
Understand grammar, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling


Engage in dialogue with peers in both small and big groups
Understand words, syllables, and sounds
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown words
Ask and respond to questions concerning significant details
Read with fluency and understandingRecognize the links between words and their underlying meaningsDescribe the characters, settings, items, and events

Second-Grade English Tutoring Topics

ReadingWritingLanguageSpeaking & Listening
Use grade-level phonics and word analysis abilitiesWrite brief sentences and paragraphs on current events

Use collective nouns and reflexive pronouns to express ideas

Orally recount or convey essential concepts and facts
Understand and recall crucial elements from a textRecall facts from previous questions
Create, extend, and reorganize basic and complicated phrases
Tell a story or describe an event using relevant information and detailed details
Ask and answer who, what, where, when, why, and how questionsParticipate in collaborative research and writing projectsBe familiar with grammar, capitalization, punctuation, and spellingTo clarify comprehension, ask and answer questions regarding what a speaker says

Third-Grade English Tutoring Topics

ReadingWritingLanguageSpeaking & Listening
Learn the definitions of common prefixes and suffixes
Write brief opinion papers with supporting evidence

Explain how nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs work.

Participate successfully in a variety of collaborative discussions
Understand a break down multi-syllable wordsUse linking words and phrases to connect opinions and reasonsUse knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening
Determine the key concepts and supporting elements while reading aloud
Determine the text’s primary concept and crucial details Write stories on actual or imaginary experiences or occurrencesDetermine the meaning of words and phrases that are uncertain or have many meanings

Fourth-Grade English Tutoring Topics

ReadingWritingLanguageSpeaking & Listening
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic
Use relative pronouns and progressive verb tenses


Build upon others’ ideas in collaborative conversations
Explain events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical textConvey ideas and information clearlyOrder adjectives within sentences
Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud
Determine the main idea of a text and how it is supported by key detailsWrite short stories based on real or imagined experiences and eventsUnderstand figurative language and relationships in word meaningsUse descriptive details and facts to report on a story

Fifth-Grade English Tutoring Topics

ReadingWritingLanguageSpeaking & Listening
Correctly quote from a text
Create informative/explanatory writings that explore a topic
Explain how conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections work


Participate in group conversations
Determine story themes and primary conceptsClearly communicate thoughtsRecognise and employ appropriate verb tense
Express views clearly and build on the ideas of others
Determine the definition of terms as they appear in a textWrite in a clear and cohesive mannerUse punctuation to separate items in a series
Summarize written material that has been read orally

Sixth-Grade English Tutoring Topics

ReadingWritingLanguageSpeaking & Listening
Determine the main concept of the texts
Write in a clear and cohesive manner
Change up the wording patterns to add meaning, intrigue, and flair


Examine the main points made
Examine how a major concept is presented, illustrated, and expanded in a bookArguments should be written with specific reasoning and proofRecognize and utilize pronouns correctly
Ask and answer specific questions on various topics
Determine the significance of words and phrases appearing in a textTransitions can be used to clarify links between ideas and conceptsDistinguish and explain the distinction between similar termsDemonstrate understanding of diverse points of view
Cute little African school girl in classroom.

Math Tutoring for Elementary Students 

Math tutoring for elementary school students offers personalized guidance and interactive learning experiences, enhancing their math skills. Tutors boost confidence, fill knowledge gaps, and ensure students are on the path to academic success in mathematics.

First-Grade Math Tutoring Topics

Arithmetic & OperationsNumbers & CountingMeasurement & DataGeometry
Add and subtract within 20 using simple concepts
Count, read, and write numbers to 120
Order and compare lengths of objects


Create two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes
Solve basic word problems using addition and subtractionUse the concept of ‘tens and ones’ Write and tell time in hour and half-hour intervals
Learn the difference between defining and non-defining attributes
Gain an understanding of the equal signUnderstand the concept of place value and how it applies to numbersWrite and tell the time in hour and half-hour intervals
Divide basic shapes like circles and rectangles into two and four 

Second-Grade Math Tutoring Topics

Arithmetic & OperationsNumbers & Place ValueMeasurement & DataGeometry
Develop addition and subtraction skills within 100
Understand the concept of place value
Learn about measurements


Understand differences between shapes
Mentally calculate sums and differencesDevelop the ability to read, write, and count numbers up to 1,000Tell and write time in a.m. and p.m.
Identify triangles, quadrilaterals, pentagons, hexagons and cubes
Work with groups of objects to gain a solid foundation for multiplicationAdd and subtract using an understanding of place value and the concept of ‘base ten’Solve problems involving currencyDivide shapes into equal shares, and become familiar with describing the shares

Third-Grade Math Tutoring Topics

Arithmetic & OperationsNumbers & Place ValueMeasurement & DataGeometryFractions
Solve problems involving multiplication and division within 100
Rounding whole numbers to the nearest 10 or 100

Writing and telling time to the nearest minute

Gain a further understanding of shapes and their attributes
Learn basic skills related to fractions
Recognize patterns in basic arithmeticAdd and subtract within 1,000Solving problems involving addition and subtraction
Identify quadrilaterals and continue to divide shapes into equal parts
Explain equivalence and compare fraction size
Multiply whole numbers by multiples of 10Measure and estimate liquid volumes and masses of objects

Fourth-Grade Math Tutoring Topics

Arithmetic & OperationsNumbers & CountingMeasurement & DataGeometryFractions
Use addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division to solve multi-step word problems
Add, subtract, and multiply multi-digit whole numbers
Solve problems involving measurement and conversions of measurement units


Drawing and identifying lines and angles
Understand fraction equivalence and ordering
Become familiar with multiples and factorsUse understanding of place value to compare two numbersUse addition, subtraction, multiplication and division to solve measurement problems
Classifying two-dimensional shapes based
Compare two fractions with different numerators and denominators
Generate number and shape patternsRound multi-digit whole numbers to any placeApply formulas related to area and perimeterRecognize and draw a line of symmetry in shapesApply knowledge of addition, subtraction and multiplication to work with fractions

Fifth-Grade Math Tutoring Topics

Arithmetic & OperationsNumbers & Place ValueMeasurement & DataGeometryFractions
Write and interpret expressions using parentheses, brackets, and braces
Continue to increase knowledge of the place value system
Convert measurement units and represent and interpret data


Graph points in a coordinate system to help solve real-world math problems
Add and subtract fractions
Analyze and generate patterns and their relationships based on given rulesRead, write, and compare decimals to thousandths and round decimals to any placeUnderstand concepts of volume related to addition and multiplication
Classify two-dimensional figures into categories based on their properties
Extend previous knowledge to multiply and divide fractions
Add, subtract, multiply, and divide decimals to hundredthsApply knowledge to real-world problems involving multiplication of fractions and mixed numbers

Sixth-Grade Math Tutoring Topics

RatiosNumbers Systems & FractionsExpressions & EquationsGeometryStatistics and Probability
Gain familiarity of ratios and use the proper language to describe a ratio relationship between two quantities
Divide fractions by fractions by applying their previous skills in multiplication and division
Extend previous skills in arithmetic to more challenging algebraic expressions


Solve real-world problems using area, surface area and volume
Understand statistical variability
Apply understanding of ratio and rate to solve real-world math issuesAdding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing multi-digit decimalsSolving one-variable equations
Represent three-dimensional figures using nets
Work with distributions and summarize numerical data sets
Learn how to represent and analyze quantitative relationships between variablesFind the surface area of three-dimensional shapesLearn how data sets can be described by their center, spread, and shape
Two elementary students sit at a desk together with protective eyewear on as they work on a science experiment. They are each dressed casually and have beakers on the desk in front of them as they use pipettes to mix the solutions.

Science Tutoring for Elementary Students 

Science tutoring for elementary school students provides individualized support and hands-on learning opportunities, fostering their understanding of scientific concepts. Tutors build confidence, address knowledge gaps, and help students excel in their science studies.

First-Grade Science Tutoring Topics

Earth & Space SciencesLife SciencePhysical Science
Observe patterns of the sun and moon
Ecosystems
Understand how light interacts with different materials


Identify and make observations about different seasonsIdentify features of plants and animalsDistinguish between solids and liquids
Classify various Earth materialsUnderstand how plants and animals surviveUnderstand the relationship between movement and sounds

Second-Grade Science Tutoring Topics

Properties Of MatterLife ScienceEarth & Space Sciences
Identify properties of different kinds of matter
Understand how plants and animals rely on their ecosystems

Identify and locate areas where water is found on Earth

Understand changes caused by heating and coolingObserve how humans impact the environmentUnderstand how wind & water impact the environment
Identify when changes in matter are reversible or notUnderstand plants & animals live in different places on land and in waterMap different types of landforms and bodies of water

Third-Grade Science Tutoring Topics

Earth & Space SciencesLife ScienceForce & Motion
Identify differences in climates of different regions of the world
Understand plants & animals have unique and diverse life cyclesUnderstand different types of forces



Recognize typical weather and climate conditionsInheritance and variation of traits help organisms surviveEffects of force on the movement of objects
Environmental impacts on the ability of organisms to surviveEffects of balance and unbalanced force on the movement of objects

Fourth-Grade Science Tutoring Topics

Earth & Space SciencesLife SciencePhysical Science
Causes and impacts of weathering and erosion
Explain how organisms interact with their environment
Understand that energy can exist in different forms


How weathering and erosion has shaped EarthAnalyze how different organisms grow based on their genetics and environment
Renewable vs. non-renewable energy
Understand why light is needed to seeHow humans use technology to survive in a variety of climatesExplain the relationship between the speed and energy of objects

Fifth-Grade Science Tutoring Topics

Structure & Properties Of MatterLife ScienceEarth Systems Science
Develop models of particles that make up matter
Understand how living things interact with each other and the environment
Human impacts on the Earth and its ecosystems


Chemical changesCycles of matter and energy transfer in ecosystems The Earth and the Solar System
How matter changes in state but still remains the same matterHow plants and animals get the materials they need to liveHow the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere interact

Sixth-Grade Science Tutoring Topics

Structure & Properties Of MatterLife ScienceForce & MotionEarth Systems
How substances are made from combinations of atoms
Dynamics and cycles of ecosystems 
Gravitational, electrical, and magnetic forces


Patterns of the sun, moon, and stars
Different types of energyInterdependent relationships in ecosystemsNewton’s Third Law
The role of water in Earth’s surface processes
Chemical reactions and the effects of thermal energyGrowth and development of organisms Relationships between energy and forcesWeather and climate

Check out these 10 tips for a productive school year.

How Do You Find an Elementary Tutor?

With over 30 locations and growing, GradePower Learning offers the only tutoring curriculum focused on cognition coaching, turning setbacks into strengths and empowering young minds to reach for more. 

Find a tutoring center near you

Qualities to Look for in an Elementary Tutor

When searching for a high school tutor, finding someone with the following qualities is essential.

Connection and Professionalism

Look for a tutor who can establish a strong connection with your child. They should be professional in their approach, maintain clear communication, and demonstrate reliability and punctuality.

Energy and Enthusiasm

An effective elementary school tutor should bring energy and enthusiasm to each session. Their passion for the subject matter can inspire the student and make the learning process engaging and enjoyable.

Caring and Nurturing

A caring and nurturing tutor creates a supportive learning environment. They should genuinely care about the student’s progress, well-being, and overall development. This fosters trust and encourages students to ask questions and seek help when needed.

Adaptable and Flexible

Elementary school students have diverse learning styles and needs. A tutor who can adapt their teaching methods and strategies to accommodate different learning preferences is invaluable. Tutors should also be flexible in scheduling sessions and adjusting their approach based on the student’s progress.

Understanding and Respectful

A great elementary school tutor understands students’ challenges and respects their circumstances. Tutors should be patient, empathetic, and able to explain concepts in a way that suits the student’s comprehension level. Mutual respect between the tutor and student is essential for effective learning.

When choosing an elementary school tutor, consider these qualities alongside their qualifications, experience, and subject expertise. Finding a tutor who can help with academic improvement and foster a positive and supportive learning environment for the student’s overall growth is important.

Learn more about Elementary School tutoring programs.

5 Signs Your Child Needs Tutoring

Is your child facing challenges in their academic pursuits? Recognizing the signs that your child could benefit from tutoring is crucial to helping them regain confidence and excel in their studies. Here are some key indicators to look out for.

1. Declining Grades

If you notice a persistent downward trend in your child’s grades, it could show that they are struggling with certain subjects or concepts.

2. Avoidance of Homework or School

When your child tries to dodge doing their homework or displays a lack of enthusiasm towards attending school, it may signify a need for extra support, such as an elementary school tutor.

3. Spending Too Much or Too Little Time on Homework

An imbalance in the time your child spends on homework can suggest they need help understanding the material or breezing through it without grasping the concepts. How long should homework take each night? Follow these PTA Recommendations.

4. Difficulty Grasping or Retaining Concepts 

If your child needs help comprehending new ideas or needs help to retain what they’ve learned. It might be beneficial to seek elementary tutoring help to help reinforce their understanding.

5. Schoolwork Disorganization

If you notice poor schoolwork management, such as losing assignments, forgetting deadlines, or experiencing trouble prioritizing tasks, it might indicate the need for elementary school tutoring to improve organizational skills and study habits.

By identifying these signs early on, you can give your child the tailored guidance they need to thrive. Elementary school tutoring can offer personalized attention, reinforce foundational knowledge, and instill effective learning strategies. Remember, every child learns at their own pace, and seeking support is a positive step towards unlocking their full potential.

What Is Cognitive Learning? 

Cognitive learning is a way of learning that helps students use their brains more effectively. This method of learning is active, constructive, and long-lasting. It encourages students to fully engage in learning so learning, thinking, and remembering get easier.

Cognitive learning isn’t about memorization or repetition. It’s about developing proper understanding and learning how to learn.

Cognitive learning strategies can include the following: 

  • Asking students to reflect on their experience
  • Helping students find new solutions to problems
  • Encouraging discussions about what is being taught
  • Helping students explore and understand how ideas are connected
  • Asking students to justify and explain their thinking
  • Using visualizations to improve students’ understanding and recall

How Does Cognitive Learning Help Elementary School Students?

Elementary students benefit from cognitive learning since it makes sure that the material is grasped rather than just momentarily memorizing it. Using this learning technique, elementary school students will gain a more profound and enduring comprehension of maths, English, science, and French academic ideas.

Cognitive skills are what separate good learners from so-so learners. Children fall behind Without developed cognitive skills because they can’t integrate new information as they are taught.

Remember: The ability to learn and make sense of new information is crucial to successful learning—and that’s why developing cognitive skills is so important.

Cognitive learning helps by . . .

  • Identifying elementary school students’ preferred learning styles, whether they are visual, auditory, kinaesthetic, or other types of learners
  • Teaching students how to approach learning with a “big picture” perspective can help them comprehend how little ideas connect to larger ones.
  • Assisting students in effectively and efficiently applying new ideas

Ready to see how GradePower Learning can help your elementary school student? Find a location and Enroll now.

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